Cuyahoga County Issue 71 — City of Olmsted Falls: Proposed Municipal Income Tax (Increase)

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026 · Olmsted Falls voters

What it does
Shall the Ordinance providing for a 0.5% levy increase on income, to a rate of a 2% levy on income, for the purposes of general municipal operations, maintenance, new equipment, extension and enlargement of municipal services and facilities and capital improvements; and eliminating the tax credit for income taxes paid to other municipalities by residents of the city, effective January 1, 2027, be passed?
A YES vote means
Olmsted Falls' income tax would increase by 0.5%, to 2%, for municipal operations, services, facilities and capital improvements, and the tax credit for income taxes residents pay to other cities would end, effective January 1, 2027.
A NO vote means
Olmsted Falls' income tax would not increase, and the credit for income taxes paid to other cities would not be eliminated.
Needed to pass
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean
A YES vote leans moderately left; a NO vote leans the other way (AI-estimated from the official ballot summary, 49% confidence).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Explained

Today

  • Olmsted Falls levies a 1.5% municipal income tax on earned income (wages, salaries, commissions and other compensation) and on business net profits from activity in the City, collected through the Regional Income Tax Agency (RITA).
  • Residents who work in another city and pay that city's income tax get a credit of up to 0.75% against the Olmsted Falls tax.
  • The City also collects four older property tax levies for fire and police: 2 mills (1976), 1.9 mills (2006) and 0.65 mill (2010) for fire, and 1.3 mills (2010) for police, as listed by a Council member at the July 28, 2026 meeting.

If it passes

  • The income tax rate would rise by 0.5 percentage point, from 1.5% to 2%, for general municipal operations, maintenance, new equipment, expanded services and facilities, and capital improvements.
  • The credit for income tax residents pay to other municipalities would be eliminated, so residents who work elsewhere would owe the full Olmsted Falls tax in addition to the tax where they work.
  • Both changes would take effect January 1, 2027.
  • The Mayor and Council members said that if it passes they intend to stop collecting the four fire and police property levies (5.85 mills, according to the Finance Director). That is not part of the ballot language; officials said it would depend on future Councils, and the levies would still be collected into 2027-2028 and could take three to five years to end.

Example

At the July 28, 2026 Council meeting, Mayor Chad Gluss estimated that a resident earning $50,000 would pay about $625 more in income tax per year, and that ending the four property levies would save about $195 a year on an average $238,000 home, for a net increase of about $400. The levy savings depend on Council choosing not to collect those levies, which the ballot question does not require. The Finance Director estimated the resident credit is worth about $1.1 million a year to the City at 1.5% and about $1.7 million at 2%. (source)

Who would notice

People who live or work in Olmsted Falls and pay its income tax, especially residents who work in another city and now receive the credit. The tax applies to earned income and business profits, not to unearned income.

How it got here

Mayor Chad Gluss told Council the City needs revenue for services and safety-force staffing, and Council members noted that nearby Berea, Brook Park, North Olmsted, Strongsville and Middleburg Heights levy 2%. Council placed the question on the ballot with Ordinance 50-2026 on July 28, 2026, by a 7-0 vote.

Written by SpectrumVote from 4 linked sources (1, 2, 3, 4). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

See every race and measure on your ballot in Cuyahoga County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my ballot

Also on Cuyahoga County ballots

All Cuyahoga County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Cuyahoga County Issue 71 mean?
Olmsted Falls' income tax would increase by 0.5%, to 2%, for municipal operations, services, facilities and capital improvements, and the tax credit for income taxes residents pay to other cities would end, effective January 1, 2027.
What does a NO vote on Cuyahoga County Issue 71 mean?
Olmsted Falls' income tax would not increase, and the credit for income taxes paid to other cities would not be eliminated.
Who receives the credit that would be eliminated?
Olmsted Falls residents who work in another municipality and pay income tax there. The credit is currently up to 0.75%.
Will the property tax levies definitely go away?
Not by this vote. Council President Garry Thompson said there is no way in the ballot language to require it; residents would rely on Council choosing not to collect the levies, and he said future Councils cannot be bound.
Do retirees pay more?
The tax applies to earned income and business profits. A Council member said most seniors have unearned income and would not pay more income tax.
How many votes does Cuyahoga County Issue 71 need to pass?
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on Cuyahoga County Issue 71?
SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?
The general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Early voting and mail-ballot deadlines vary by state; check your state or county election office.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the Cuyahoga County ballot.

See something wrong on this page? Report a problem · Corrections